Written statement on Domestic farm support funding: a review of distribution across the UK from 2020 to the end of the Parliament - Oct 16

Michael Gove (The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs): Today I am announcing that the Government is launching an independent review into the allocation of domestic farm support from 2020 to the end of this Parliament. The review will make sure that fair funding is delivered to all four parts of the UK, when we leave the EU.

 The review will provide recommendations to the Government on factors to take into account in the split of agricultural funding between the four countries of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, once the UK has left the Common Agricultural Policy.

In forming its recommendations, the review will look at what factors should influence the distribution of agricultural funding, while ensuring the effective use of public funds. Each country’s unique circumstances will be considered, including its environmental, agricultural and socio-economic make-up. Both the number of farms and the size of farms in each country could also be considered, to make sure that each part of the UK gets a fair deal. The review will be informed by historic CAP decisions but will not revisit these, or redistribute money that has already been committed.

We have already confirmed that we will continue to commit the same cash total in funds for UK farm support until the end of the Parliament, expected in 2022, providing British farmers with more certainty than farmers across the EU, where funding is only guaranteed until 2020.

This review will be led and overseen by an independent external reviewer. I am delighted that Lord Bew of Donegore has agreed to chair the review. Lord Bew has been the Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life for five years, held esteemed positions in Government and contributed to a number of Bills, reviews and reports during his time as a non-party-political peer.

Lord Bew will be joined on the panel by representatives from each devolved administration to ensure that their voices are heard. Membership of this group will be confirmed in due course.

The terms of reference for the review have been published on the GOV.UK website today. The review will report in March 2019 and the findings of the review will be published on GOV.UK in due course.